34,000 Government students across the Territory are eagerly awaiting the term two school holidays, with the Lawler Labor Government putting on nearly 600 different activates for young people across the Territory.
Festivals, splash parties, creative arts, disco nights and circus workshops are just some of the exciting events on over the June July holidays, helped through an annual investment by the Labor Government.
However, 94 year six students’ at Stuart Park Primary School have their eyes firmly set on the years to come post primary, with a new program implemented at the school making the transition less daunting.
The innovative program is called ‘Middle Schoolers for the Day’, and aims to prepare students for future years to come by placing them in mixed groups, with a new timetable and difference classes to simulate life in middle school.
This program occurs once a week and comes as the Lawler Labor Government is implementing new measures to reduce the barriers between primary and secondary education, most notably the transition away from the Middle School Model to a comprehensive secondary school structure.
It is expected moving to a sole primary and secondary school structure will reduce barriers, improve attendance and boost the number of students staying in school and graduating year 12.
Currently, school attendance rates in the Northern Territory are on an upgrades trajectory increasing by 1.1% to 74.5% per cent from 2022 to 2023, and Term 1 2024 sitting at 76.4%.
While this improvement is positive, the Lawler Labor Government’s aim is to increase the attendance rate further through the implementation of the secondary school review and an on-going attendance strategy which reinforces the benefits of education.
Quotes attributed to Minister for Education, Mark Monaghan:
“The Lawler Labor Government is ensuring all children are able to reach their full potential by updating the current NT Education model.
“The ‘Middle Schoolers for the Day’ program at Stuart Park Primary is innovative and effective, but it clearly shows there are significant barriers between Primary and Middle Schooling, barriers our Government will remove through the transition to a comprehensive secondary model.
“Thank you to all of our hardworking principals, teachers and school staff for the work they do, and thank you to all the dedicated parents who get their children ready for school each and every day. Enjoy the school holidays and have a well-deserved break”
Northern Territory Government
